March 26, 2012

CHARLOTTE â€” Paul Pierce scored a season-high 36 points and the Boston Celtics held on to beat the Charlotte Bobcats 102-95 Monday night to move into a first-place tie with Philadelphia 76ers in the Atlantic Division.

Pierce shot 10 of 20 from the field, made 15 of 18 free throws and added 10 rebounds and four assists.

Pierce has scored 20 or more points in five of the past six games and is averaging 22.3 points per game during March.

March 26, 2012

Elizabeth “Lib” S. Butler, 81, of Newton, died Sunday, March 25, 2012 at Abernethy Laurels. The Butler family has entrusted the funeral arrangements to Willis-Reynolds Funeral Home & Crematory in Newton.

Grady “Sam” Link, 83, of Conover, died Saturday, March 24, 2012, at his residence. The Link Family has entrusted funeral arrangements to Drum Funeral and Cremation Services of Conover.

March 26, 2012

By

LARRY O'DELL

A federal appeals court refused Monday to reinstate former race car driver Jeremy Mayfield's lawsuit against NASCAR over his 2009 suspension for failing a random drug test at Richmond International Raceway.

A three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled a federal judge did not abuse his discretion in dismissing Mayfield's complaint against NASCAR; its owner, Brian Zachary France; and a drug testing company.

March 26, 2012

North Carolina's public school leaders want to know how to make teachers happy and how to improve learning environments across the state.

The state Department of Public Instruction is asking teachers to take a survey on their working conditions beginning Monday through April 20. Teachers can access the survey online at http://www.ncteachingconditions.org/.